BM2K6 Art on Fire! #1 Art on Fire! #2 Art on Fire! #3 Playa-bound No Place Like Home Dust & Whiteouts The Man Kidsville Night Black Rock Rangers The Belgian Waffle Family Time Other Sights Leaving BRC
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Burning Man 2006: Night
As I've mentioned, most of my time on the playa is broken up into two chunks: daytimes with the family and nighttimes on call as a "Dirt Ranger". (I usually take the last few hours of the swing shift and all of the graveyard shift. This way I get to serve and to take shifts that are usually understaffed.) We start out with a nicely lighted art car.
After Hurricane Katrina did its damage, with a bit of poor maintenance by the Army Corps of Engineers (as I hear it) a hardcore group of Burners went down to New Orleans with heavy machinery and spent a year there, demolishing buildings and rebuilding lives. We're very, very proud of them.
This animated GIF doesn't really capture the stunning experience of standing in front of this very bright illuminated wall, but it's the best I could do after the fact. (I'm not sure a movie would have done any better, BTW.)
[Macro error: Mac OS Error: -1409.]
The octopus art car; stunning.
Now this was probably my favorite bit of art this year: a central pole from which radiated many strings of illuminated ping pong balls, cycling through the spectrum. The effect was both riveting and tranquilizing. This deserves a video with an appropriate soundtrack...
Center Camp performance stage, going strong just past midnight: stand-up comedy, folk music, and the occasional incomprehensible rant are presented. Some is really, really polished. I'm impressed.
The living canvas, at left, is checking out a painted pattern of a dotted spirial that now covers her face, courtesy of the artist, at right.
The huge statue that towers near Center Camp now is lighting up the night sky; the flames work out beautifully. An awesome landmark. It's beautiful and useful for orienting oneself.
It's all quiet at Deathguild.
This is my second favorite art piece this year, a balloon holding a long string of lights aloft. The undulations of the lights, the unbelievable length of the whole thing, the incongruity in a horizontal city, all added up. This should be a regular.
I have never gotten a good photo of Megavolt's show, and this year was no different. I just can't bring myself to drag a tripod around the playa, but perhaps a collapsing monopod might find its way onto my pack...
Center Camp Café: my favorite place in the whole wide world, I'm pretty sure. Especially at night, especially when the light and breeze are just so, especially when the performers are many and the crowd is mellow.
A panorama of the esplanade, with (from left) the Cube, the Head, the Man, the mobile furnace, etc. The mix of intense weather, unusual sights, steady stream of music, and the most rewarding mix of people makes me thrilled to return each year.
This animated GIF comes from my attempt to show both the unearthly feel of the illuminated orbs and the excited faces of the kids. Neither picture did both, hence this.
[Macro error: Mac OS Error: -1409.]
This day-glo black-light art car was visible from far away, and got more impressive the closer I got. It never seemed to actually touch the playa, but rather float above it by a few inches.
One of my mobile favorites was this soothing illuminated fish art car, which cast the most sublime light around itself. I wanted to shrink this down to a table lamp.
Being the guy with the camera usually means that I never get to be in any photos, nor do we have many family portraits. So this is a special treat. It was very loud at the Temple burn, and Isaac was wary of the subsequent quiet.
So we're exploring the playa, full of wonderous art and amusing people, but there's not much that really appeals to the kids. It's past midnight, and they're tired from a day full of playing, heat and dust, and the visual and aural stimulation of the event. But then we come across Smores Camp. All of a sudden Lila is out of the bike trailer, and she and Rose have renewed enthusiasm. Isaac is assembling the perfect balance of graham cracker and chocolate. Me too; hey, it's Belgian dark chocolate; someone knows how to do dessert right!
These are the solar-powered sunflowers, discharging some of their stored energy through el-wire.
The next four pictures of the playa will go uncommented; they're just representative of an evenings enjoyment. But continue reading at the bottom for something really different!
So, here's what I promised: a live shot of a disgruntled volunteer driving his car into the Center Camp Café in the midst of an argument. Super Dave was on hand and quickly and loudly reprimanded the miscreant and sent him on his way. Cool moment to witness, though.
Next we spend a bit of time with the Rangers.
| Yes, I know the previous and next arrows aren't working. Please use the last link in the paragraph above. I'm trying to figure it out. It's some obsucre bug in Userland Radio that they don't acknowledge and I'm investigating. Thanks for your patience. |
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